richards



GRAIN WEIGHBR.

Patented Deo. 30, 18,90.

1H: noms Farms po., mnvurno., wAsHxNnTou. n. c,

(NO Moael.) 4 sheets-sheen 2. F. H. RICHARDS. GRAIN WEIGHER. No. 443,583. Patented Dec. 30 18.90.-

www {VK/ 25a/M. 32W @M 1n: News Ps'rzns ce., wurm-ImaAY msmunruu, n. cA

(No Model.) A'4 Sheets-Sheet 3.- F. H. RICHARDS. t GRAIN WBIGrHEBl No.443,583. YPatentad Deq. 30, 1890..

(No Moae1.u *l 4 sheets-sheet 4.

IE'. H. RICHARDS.

GRAINl WBIGHER.

Noi. 443,583. Patented Deo. 30,1890. v

Y o dicated in the drawings.

FRANCIS` H.

PATENT OFFICE.

RICHARDS, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE PRATT t VHITNEY COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

GRAIN-WEIGHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 443,583, dated December 30, 1890.

Application filed August 16, 1890. Serial No. 362,214. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS H. RICHARDS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State 5 of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in GraiuWVeighers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to regulator grainweighers of the class described and claimed ro 1n my application, Serial No. 340,814, filed February 17, 1890, wherein one or more cuto valves are normally actuated by or from the scale-beam, and are exceptionally actuated by or from a regulator, whereby the cutoff valve is also utilized as a regulator-valve.

y The object of my present improvements is to provide in a regulator grain-weigher a regulator apparatus not connected through or with the scale-beam, but operated intermezo diate tothe valve and its actuator, whereby the regulation is effected by shifting the valve and its actuator relatively to each other by means of a regulator suitably connected therefor.

z 5 In the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is an elevation of the left-hand side of the grain- "weigher mechanism embodying my present improvements. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the 3o right-hand side of the machine. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the upper part of the machine comprising the valve mechanism. Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the part of the machine shown in Fig. 3 and situated above the grainbucket. Figs. 5 and 6 are views similar to the upper part of Figs. 1 and 2, respectively,

and illustrate the operation of the regulator apparatus. Fig. 7 illustrates one modification of the actuator-shifting means.

Similar characters designate like parts in all the figures.

The framework for carrying the operative parts of the machine usually, and as shown in the drawings, comprises two side frames or uprights 2 and 4, suitably connected together, the top plate 5 carrying the supplychute H and supporting the scale-beam and valve mechanism, said top plate being fixed on the top of the uprights by screws, as in- It will be understood, however, that any suitable form -of framework adapted to carry the operative parts of the machine, may be used instead of the particular form herein shown. The position of the grain-bucket G (usually and preferably of the well-known double-cli'ambered oscillating type or class) is indicated by dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 2, where it is shown as if suspended by its pivots 12 underneath the spout of the supply-chute H and over 6o the regulator P. The usual and necessary means for supporting and operating said bucket are not shown in this application, but are set forth in prior Letters Patent, one of said devices suitable therefor being shown in 6 5 Letters Patent No. 403,988, granted to C. H. Cooley, May 28, 1889.

The regulatorP is or may be the same reguiator which is described and'claimed in the joint Letters Patent to C. H. Cooley and F. 7o H. Richards, No. 434,702, dated August 19, 1890, to which reference may be had for a 1 more particular description thereof. Said regulator consists of a hopper, designated in a general way by the character P, and which is pivotally supported in the frame-Work by pivots 9S 99. The regulator-hopper is normally upheld, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. i, by means of a suitable counterweight, as 11, fixed on the arm 10, extending 8o from said hopper. Suitable stops (not shown) are nsuallyprovided for limiting the working-stroke of the regulator P. For operating the shiftable actuator of the valve mechanism suitable connecting-rods, as 13 and 13, 85 are connected to the regulator at and extend upward to connect with the proper parts of the valve mechanism.

The scale-beam B has V-shaped bearings 20 and 22, one at each end thereof, which rest on 9a the pivots or knife-edges 24 and 26, that are suitably supported, as by bearings 2 8 and 25 on the frame-work. Said scale-beam has the principal arms 19 and 2l furnished with the knife-edges 15 and 17 for supporting the 95 usual hangers (not shown) for carrying the grain-bucket G. Opposite to the arms 19 and 21 the scale-beam has an arm 28, which extends rearwardly and is provided with the knifeedge 27, on which a suitable main 10:1 weight, as W`, is suspended by a suitable hook, as 29.

,lhc reducing valve Gt) is carried by the arms t Get, which are sullportcd by pivots til i123, that are tixed in the walls of the supplychute ll. lhe reducing-valve is furnished with the valve-actuating lever U0, which has a normally-fixed relation to said valve, and is normally operated by the arm 7l, that :lixed to the scale-beam arm 2l, and actuates the valve on the movemcntot` the scalc-beam at'ter the manner described and claimed in the application ot (l. ll. Cooley, Serial No. 338,818, tiled January 3l, i800, to which l have permission to ret'er. 'lhe lever (itl is usually weighted, either by a weight formed thereon, as herein shown, or by a weight attached thereto. According to my present improvements, the arm (39 is pivotallysupported independently ot' the valve GO, but in radial alignment therewith, which is conveniently done by placing said arm on the extended pivot 0,3, as indicated in the drawings.

Extending oppositely to the arm titl said arm has another arm 552i, which is connected at 322 by toggle-links 323 and .J2-t to the pivot 325, fixed in the reducing-valve arm (ist, the middle pivot of said toggle-links 323 and 324 bein-g connected by the rod J3 to the pivot llO ot' the regulator-hopper l). When the grain-weigher mechanism is operated normally and the regulator-hopper stands in its uppermost position, (shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1,) said toggle-lii'lhs stand in a direct line with each other, as in Fig. 5, thereby holding the arm 69 in a normally-lixed position relatively to the reducingwalve. It now while said links are so held the scale-beam arm 7l be lowered from its position in Fig. 5, thereducing-valve will close, as described in the aforesaid application ot C. ll. Cooley, Serial No. 338,818; and itwhile standing in said position shown in Fig. 5 the regulator-hopper P is lowered, as indicated by solid lines in Fig. 2, said toggle-links 32S and 3% are thrown out ol line, as shown in Fig. 2, thereby shitting the arm or actuator Gt) relatively to the valve G0 and closing said. valve. On the reverse movement ot the of regulator the rod 13, acting through said. toggle-links, replaces the valve and actuator in their aforesaid nor mal positions when said parts are ready for operating normally by the movement ot the scale-beam.

The cut-otl valve TO and its accessory devices are substantially of the kind described and claimed in the joint application ot C. H. Cooley and F. ll. Richards, Serial No. 358,658, filed July 14, 1800, to which reference may be had l`or a more particular description thereof. The cut-off valve 70 is carried by the arms 72 and 74C, which are pivoted at 73 to the supply-chute Il. According to my present imp rovcments, the can1-arm of said valve is made separate therefrom, but is shiftably connected thereto. The arm 91 is pivotally supported on the extended pivot 73 and carries the usual cam GS and some suitable weight, as 90, for the purposes respectively described in said Air" prior aljiplication Serial No. 808,058. Said cam-arm .fljt has a projecting arm 326 whose pivot S27 is connected by toggle-links 328 and 329 with the pivot 330, fixed in the valve-arm T2 of the valve '70. The middle connectingpivot of said toggle-links is also connected by the rod i123 (similar to the rod ibm) tothe pivot 110 ot the regulator l." for the purpose otl shifting said canrarm relatively to its valve t'or effecting the automatic regulation ot' the grain-weigher. When the regulator stands in its uppermost; position, (shown by dotted lines in Fig. 11,) the toggle-links 828 and 829 stand in the position shown in Fig. G, thereby holding the cam-arm, with its cam (S8, in a norlmilly'lixed relation to the valve 70, whereby said valve and cam-arm normally operate as a single element of the machine. For operating the valve 70 from the scale-beam the arm 19 of said beam is furnished with an actuator 55, consisting in a small roller carried by a pivot fixed in Said arm, as indicated in Figs. l, and l. On the vertical movement otl the scale-beam said actuator 55 acts upon the arm ot' the cam 68 to operate the valve atter the manner dcscribed in said prior application Serial No. 358,658. lf now the regulator F is lowered to its position shown in solid lines in Figs. 1 and 2, said toggle-links 328 and 320 will be shifted from their position in Fig. 6 to their position in Fig. l, thereby shitting the camarm 91 relatively to the valve 7() and closing said valve, as shown in Fig. 1.

Each ofthe valves (50 and 70 being furnished with actnatorsl1ifting devices, substantially as described, each connected with the regulator, both valves are simultaneously closed on the downward movement ot the regulator, regardless of the vertical movement of the scale-beam; but it will be understoodthat the reducingyalve is not necessarily furnished with a shftable actuator or with actuatorshifting devices, since the grain-weigher will be operative when the valve 7U only is so furnished. In such case, however, the grainweigher when brought to rest by the action of the regulator will have its grain-bucket partly iilled with grain. `\\vhen it is desired that the grain-weigher, on being stopped bythe regulator, shall stop with the grain bucket elnpty, it is necessary that each of the valves shall be furnished with the shitftable actuator.

It will be understood that in speaking ot' the valve and its actuator it is immaterial in respect of the valve GO whether the arm or the arm 71 be considered as the actuator, but I have adopted the method of so designating that .one of the two coacting arms which is shiftable from the operative into an inoperative position. According to my present improvements, the arm (59 is thus arranged, and hence is designated as stated. In respect of the valve and for the saine reasons the cani-arm 91 is referred to as the shittable actuator, while the roller 55 is IOC ITO

considered as the valve-operating element of the combination.

The non-essentiality of the described toggie-links as a means for shifting the valveactuator is illustrated by Fig. 7, wherein a swinging cam is shown substituted for said links. This cam 335 has a cam-groove 340, which engages the pin 325 (corresponding to the stud 325 in Fig. 5) in the arm 64: of the valve 60. The cam is carried by an arm 336, which is pivoted to the stud 322, and is connected at 337 to the regulator-rod 13 similarly as the said links are connectedrin the preceding gures. The mode of operation of this actuator-shitting cam is evident from the drawings, and will be fully understood without further explanation. v

Having thus described my invention, I claim-A 1. In a grain-weigher, the combination, With the suppl y-chute, the scale-beam, and a valve for said chute, of a valve-operating arm carried by the beam, a valve-actuator operated by said arm, actuator-shifting means connecting the actuator with the valve, and a regulator operatively connected to actuate said shifting means for closing the valve.

2. In a grain-weigher, the combination, with the supply-chiite, the scale-beam, and the valve pivotally supported for closing said chute, ot' a valve-operating arm carried by the beam, a valve-actuator operated by said arm, actuator-shifti ng means connecting the actuator with the valve,and a regulator operatively connected to actuate said shifting means for swinging the valve.

3. In a grain-Weigher, the combination, with the supply-chute and the scale-beam, and with a reducing-valve and a cut-oit valve together closing said chute, of a valve-operating arm on the beam for each valve, a valveactuator for each valve and operated by said arms respectively, actuator-shifting means connecting each valve with its actuator, and a regulator operatively connected with each said shifting means for operating` the valves independently of the scale-beam movement.

4. In a grain-Weigher, the combination, with the supply-chute, the scale-beam, and the swinging reducing-valve, of a valve-operatin g arm carried by said beam, the valve-actuator operated by said arm, and regulator-con trolled actuator-shifting means connecting the actuator and valve for actuating the valve independently of the beam movement.

5. In a grain-weigher, the combination, with the swinging reducing-valve and With a scalebeani having the arm 7l, of the reducing valve actuator and regulator-controlled actuator-shifting means connecting said actuator with the reducing-valve for operating said valve independently of the movement of the scale-beam arm.

6. In a grain-Weigher, the combination, with the swinging reducing-valve and with a scalebeam having the arm 7l, of the reducingvalve actuator and regulator-controlled actuator-shifting links connecting said actuator and valve for operating the valve independent] y of the movement of the scale-beam arm.

7. In a grain-Weigher, the combination, with the cut-off valve and with a scale-beam having the cut-olf-valve-actuating arm, of the cut-ot-valve actuator operated by said arm and regulator-controlled actuator-shifting means connecting said valve and actuator for operating the cut-olf valve independently of the movement of said valve-actuating arm.

S. In a grain-weigher, the combination, with. the cut-oft valve and with a scale-beam having the cut-off-valve-actuating arm, of the cutoff-valve actuator operated by said arm and regulator controlled actuator shifting links connecting said valve and actuator for oper ating the cut-oit valve independently of the movement of said valve-actuating arm.

9. In a grain-weigher, the combination, with the supply-chute and with a scale-beam having a valve-actuating arm, of the valve and the valve-actuator therefor, both pivotally supported 011 'substantially coinciding axes, and regulator-controlled actuatorshifting means connecting said valve and actuator, whereby the valve and its actuator are norl mally maintained in a xed relation during their axial movement derived from the scalebeam movement.

10. In a grain-weigher, the combination, with the scale-beam having the roller-provided arm, of the valve 7 O, the cam-provided valve-actu` ator operated by the roller, and regulator-con` trolled means connecting the valve and said actuator, whereby the valve and its actuator may be shifted relatively to each other independently of the movement of said roller.

FRANCIS H. RICHARDS. Witnesses:

HENRY L. RECKARD,

LEWIS C. HEERMANN.

ICO 

